Archive for the 'Dessert & Drinks' Category

This is one of the things I absolutely have to eat whenever I get to go back to Indonesia. Martabak Manis a.k.a Terang Bulan (how it is called by people from Makassar and Surabaya). Last week, I was craving for this and when I told my husband that I was going to try making this, his face lighted up in a second. So, that makes me even more excited!

So… The battle of Martabak Manis VS Myself = 4 – 1 🙂

Yes, that’s correct. I’ve tried making this FIVE times already now. All with different recipes.
– The first trial: it ended up tasted and looking like a huge pancake.
– The second trial: tasted pretty good but looked AWFUL.
– The third one: looked good but doesn’t have the right texture.
– The fourth one: it was a total mess… a BIG JOKE hehehe… don’t even talk about it.
– The fifth one: i did it! yes, i finally did!

Fifth time’s a charm! 🙂 Well, It wasn’t super greasy-good like the one you can find on the streets in Indonesia, but it was okay considering my limited circumstances. My stove was the spiral electric stove that didn’t really work that great. And then the only plate that was big enough for my pan was lopsided 😦

Anyway… so the recipe below is my modification of so many recipes, after trials and errors. The key is to have a good pan, really be patience, and to watch the heat when cooking it. Here we go.

PAN
If you don’t have the original Martabak pan that can only be bought in Indonesia (as far as i know), you can use Cast-Iron pan. I got this “revelation” after thinking that both pans look so similar and equally heavy, lol!

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mix warm milk, dry yeast, and sugar. Whisk them all together. Let it sit for 10 minutes and it will begin to bubble and foam.
2. Meanwhile, mix the sifted all purpose flour, self-raising flour, baking powder, and salt in a deep mixing bowl.
3. In a different container, whisk eggs and caster sugar.
4. When the yeast mixture has started to foam, stir it and using a mixer (low speed), slowly mix it into the flour.
5. Also slowly, mix in the egg mixture.
6. Continue to mix with low speed for 10 minutes.
7. Cover the bowl with a lid and let it sit for at least 2 hours.
8. Heat up a cast-iron pan for about 15 minutes. (This will be tricky. You’ll have to experiment with your own stove. I have electric stove and 10 level of heat. I did level 5 to heat the pan.)
9. Divide the flour mixture into 2 portions.
10. Mix one part of water and baking soda. Stir that into one part of the flour mixture.
11. Pour in the flour mixture into the pan at one time, and immediately angle it around the pan evenly to make the side crust. (see “NOTE” below if you don’t know what i’m talking about)
12. Now, turn down the heat level of your stove a little bit (I turned mine down to 4). Let it cook.
13. When you start to see holes on the Martabak’s surface, sprinkle one part of sugar (1 Tbs), and then cover the pan with lid. Turn down the heat level of your stove again a little bit (I turned mine down to 3) and let it cook.
14. When you see the sugar has starting to melt and the side crust has brown, your martabak is ready! Place it onto a cutting board.
15. Cut the martabak into two. While it’s still warm, start to add in the toppings on both halves. Begin with margarine and end with sweet condensed milk. They’re a good bonding agent 🙂
16. Put the two halves together. Smear the surface with margarine. Cut in smaller pieces for serving.
17. Do the same thing for the other halves of the flour mixture.

NOTEThis is how martabak manis is made, directly from one street vendor in Indonesia. Some method doesn’t work for me, though, but his martabak certainly looked AWESOME 🙂This video may help you if you don’t know what I’m talking about on step #11 🙂 (watch minute 1:24 – 1:36)